ORIANA of 1995: ORIANA back in the port of Funchal

sexta-feira, 23 de dezembro de 2016

ORIANA back in the port of Funchal

1- ORIANA leaving in final daylight, about the same time as the city's Christmas illumination were litting up.

Yesterday ORIANA was once again in Funchal, capital of Madeira Island, this time for the first port of call of her 16 day Christmas and New Year cruise around the Canary Isles. It was also her first call here after the recent refit in Hamburg, which we have highlighted with several posts in the ORIANA of 1995 blog.

2- ORIANA leaving Funchal for the last time in 2016.

Thus it was already expected to see her with a very fresh look, as good as new, when she arrived early morning after 3 days at sea from her homeport of Southampton.

3- From top to bottom: The Portuguese flag, the British Red Ensign and
P&O's house flag in ORIANA's mast, also depicting a very windy day in Funchal.

4- ORIANA's distinctive and elegant funnel shinning in the afternoon's light.

Her latest call also coincided with the opening of a new photographic exhibition about P&O Cruises, organized by the Madeira Ship Club, in the port's terminal, and her current Captain, David Box, was invited and kindly attended the opening ceremony, showing himself very pleased with the images on display, not only having confessed being a ship photographer as well but remembering some moments of his career onboard previous ships of the fleet such as the VICTORIA and ARTEMIS.

5 & 6- Captain Box visiting the exhibition in the port of Funchal, featuring of course several images of his current ship.

7 & 8- Some valuable memorabillia of P&O Cruises that is also alongside this photographic exhibition.

Then he also visited the Club's headquarters, where he was presented with a plaque depicting the P&O meeting between ARCADIA and his current ship, ORIANA, in Funchal last year, and where he also drunk a glass of Madeira Wine and a piece of the traditional honey cake.

9 & 10- Captain David Box in the HQ of the Madeira Ship Club, being presented with a plaque.

Later in the afternoon, ORIANA departed bound to San Sebastian, in the island of La Gomera, with a significant delay, due to some radar maintenance that was being performed by the crew during the day.

11- The entertaining team dancing at a very fast pace in the Terrace Pool near departure.

12- Christmas decor by some stateroom windows (left) and a tree bellow the ship's mast (right).

13- After a great reception in port, Captain David Box waves in farewell during departure.

After the Canaries, ORIANA will also call in Agadir, Morocco on the 28th, in Lisbon on 30th and will spend New Year's day in La Coruna, northern Spain, before returning to Southampton on the 3rd January.